Safety lock



H. GUDGE 2,153,831

SAFETY LOCK April 11, 1939.

Filed Feb. 15, 1938 IN VENTOR.

Patented Apr. 11, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT orrica 2 Claims.

The purpose of this invention is to provide a keyless combination lock for motor vehicles, by which the door lock may be released when one forgets the key, or locks the key on the inside.

The invention is a lock, preferably positioned under the hood of a motor vehicle, to be used only in case of emergency, and this has a double combination in that every car owner may set his own combination, and then, if he forgets his key, he may raise the hood, turn the lock to the proper position, press a button and release the door lock, and this may also be provided with means whereby anyone unfamiliar with the lock will cause the horn to blow as soon as he starts tampering with the lock.

Automobile locks of different types and designs have been provided and used in various positions, however, this device is not a look but is merely a releasing means which cooperates with the door 20 look when the door is locked with the key on the inside, thereby making it possible to open the door by setting the combination to a certain position.

The object of this invention is, therefore, a simple and unique combination emergency lock open a door when the key has been locked on the inside or misplaced.

Another object is to provide a combination emergency lock adapted to unlock the door of motor vehicles in which the combination may be changed as desired.

Another object is to provide means for opening the door of a motor vehicle when the key has been locked on the inside, by which the door may be opened without a key.

Another object is to provide means for opening the door of a motor vehicle with the key on the inside thereof, which will sound an alarm when tampered with by anyone except the owner thereof.

A further object is to provide a combination lock for motor vehicles which may be located under the hood, and which may be set to release a door by pressing a button.

5 And a still further object is to provide a combination lock for releasing the door lock of a motor vehicle in an emergency, such as when the key has been locked on the inside or misplaced, which is of a simple and economical construction.

With these ends in view the invention embodies an emergency combination lock which may be opened by a key to set the combination thereof, which may be set by hand to an operating position, and then a part thereof moved inward to complete a circuit which may release the lock of which may be used by the owner of the vehicle to Figure 3 is a view similar to that shown in Figure 1 with the front portion omitted, and showing the interior operating mechanism.

In the drawing the lock is shown as it may be made, wherein numeral I indicates the main case, numeral 2, the cap or cover, and numeral 3, an operating knob.

The part I is preferably made of a thin shell with a base plate 4, and the cap 2 is hinged to this part by a hinge 5 and locked in place by a lock 6, as shown in Figure 2, with the bail thereof extending through projections l and 8 on the cap and case respectively. However, it will be understood that this lock may be incorporated in the case and opened and closed by a key through a key-hole 9 shown in Figure 1, in which the lock is incorporated inside of the cap and case. The face of the cap 2 is provided with windows or openings I0 and H through which pointers l2 and I3 may readily be observed,'and the pointers are mounted upon a shaft M which extends through an opening in the center of the cap 2, and the knob 3 is attached to the outer end of the shaft as shown- The pointer I2 is mounted on the shaft through a sleeve I5, and this may be rotated by a knurled nut l6, and, as it is rotated, it will turn a pointer I! which extends downward into an opening H3 in an insulating disc l9 pivotally mounted on a bearing 29 of the base 4, and it will be noted that, as this is turned, it will turn the disc Hi to adjust the position of contact points 2| and 22 on segments 23 and 24, and by this means the combination is changed, and may readily be changed from time to time. In order to turn these parts, it is necessary to unlock the cap 2 and raise it about the hinge 5, as, with the cap in place, these rotating parts are completely enclosed, whereas, with the cap opened and the knob 3 removed, it is possible to rotate the pointer I2 and the disc l9 by the knurled nut Hi. The upper plate 25 of the base I may be provided with graduations 26 so that the pointer l2 may be set with the contacts 2| and 22 in various positions, and these positions may be determined without opening the base A circuit is completed across the contact points 2| and 22 by a brush 21 on an arm 28, and the arm is mounted upon the shaft l4 and held in position by a set screw 29 by which the position thereof may be adjusted, and it will be noted that, as this member is turned to such a position that it will engage the points 2| and 22, the knob 3 may be pressed inward to move the member 21 against the points 2| and 22 to complete a circuit therethrough, and, as soon as it is released, the knob and shaft will be returned to the position shown, by a spring 30 in the socket 20.

The pointer I3 is also mounted upon the shaft l4, and this may also be adjusted to different positions by a set screw 3|, and this pointer may be observed through the opening I! in the cap 2, so that it may be set to a graduation on a dial 32 on the face of the plate 25, and the position of this pointer in relation to the pointer |2 must be known to the operator of the vehicle in which the device is used.

The contact points 2| and 22 may be connected in a circuit to the lock of the door of the vehicle, as indicated in Figure 3, and this may be formed with wires 33, 34 and 35 connected to a solenoid 36 through a battery 31, and, as the solenoid is energized, it will raise a lever 38 and release the lock bar 39 which forms a latch of the door, a portion only of which is shown, and this is indicated by the numeral 40, with the regular door handle indicated by the numeral 4|. It will be understood, however, that this releasing mechanism may be of any type or design, and may be arranged in any manner. As there are many different types of door locks, an attempt is not made to illustrate any particular form of lock, however, a lock may be incorporated in the handle 4|, and a movable part of the lock may be provided with a projection extending into a notch in the lever or bolt 39, as it will be noted that, when the lock is released and the handle turned, this projection will draw the bolt inward and release the door; however, with the door lock in the handle 4| locked, the inner end 38 of the bar 39 may be raised by the electromagnet 36 so that it is released from the lock 4|, and the door may then be opened.

The device is also provided with another circult to the horn of the vehicle, or this may be connected to a bell or any suitable means for giving an alarm, and this circuit is operated by a brush 42 on the arm 28, and, if this brush is turned in either direction, it will engage one of the contacts 43 and 44 which are connected to a wire 45 and a battery 46 to a horn 4'1, with the opposite terminal of the horn connected to the brush 42 by a wire 48. This is a safety circuit, and is not used by the owner of the vehicle, as, in his operation thereof, he only turns the knob to the correct position, whereas anyone not familiar with the combination will turn the knob, and, if it is turned beyond certain limits, the ends of the brush 42 will engage one of the contacts 43 or 44, and thereby cause the born to blow which will give an alarm. It will be understood that this circuit may also be arranged in any manner, and any means desired may be used for sounding an alarm, with the thought that, when the alarm is sounded, anyone tampering with the device will immediately leave the vehicle and attempt to escape.

The lock may also be provided with a small, electric light 49 which may be connected to any suitable circuit of the vehicle, and which may be operated by a button so that, when it is desired to set the pointer l3 in the dark, it is only necessary to press the button to light the light 49 which will illuminate the entire interior of the cap so that both dials may readily be observed. It will be understood that this light may be located at any suitable point, and may be operated by any means, and also that any means may be used for illuminating the lock to facilitate operation thereof.

It will be understood that changes may be made in the device without departing from the spirit of the invention. One of which changes may be in the use of a combination lock of any standard design having contact points that may be arranged to accomplish the same result, another may be in the use of other means for connecting the look as shown and described to the door lock, and still another may be in the use of other means for setting the combination lock to any position, and also for operating the look at any position.

The construction will be readily understood from the foregoing description. In use this device is preferably installed at any suitable point under the hood of the vehicle, and is only used when the operator thereof forgets or loses his key, or looks the key on the inside, and then, in order to open the door, it is only necessary to raise the hood, turn the knob 3 until the pointer I3 is in the proper position, and then press the knob, and, when the knob is pressed, a circuit will be completed which will release the door lock.

Having thus fully described the invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In combination with a motor vehicle having a door with a lock therefor, a combination emergency lock, a casing in which the lock is incorporated, a cover for said casing, means locking said cover in the closed position, means for setting the combination of the lock with the cover open, and suitable circuits connecting the lock to means releasing the door lock, said combination emergency lock adapted to be set to release the said door lock.

2. In combination with a motor vehicle having a door with a look therefor, a combination emergency lock, and suitable circuits connecting the lock to means releasing the door lock, in which the operating circuit is controlled by a contact point which may be set to a certain position, and then moved to engage contacts from the exterior of the casing, said combination emergency lock 5 adapted to be set to release the said door lock.

HERBERT GUDGE. 

